On the second day of the auction, Ye Lingling led Lin Yan through several quiet streets to a mansion that, while not particularly grand, exuded elegance and tranquility.
A plaque bearing the words "Ye Residence" hangs above the gate, the characters written in neat, elegant handwriting.
Ye Lingling took a deep breath, seemingly even more nervous than Lin Yan, and gently knocked on the door knocker.
Soon, the door opened, and a kind-faced, gentle-tempered middle-aged woman appeared behind it. Her features bore a six or seven-point resemblance to Ye Lingling's, but she possessed a gentler and more worried air that came with age. She was Ye Lingling's mother, Su Wan.
"Mom," Ye Lingling called softly.
When Su Wan saw her daughter, her eyes naturally showed affection. But when her gaze fell on Lin Yan next to Ye Lingling and their hands that were barely touching, she was first stunned, and then her expression showed surprise and curiosity.
" Lingling, who is this...?"
"Hello, Auntie. I am Lin Yan, Lingling's teammate in the Imperial Fighting Team, and also... a friend." Lin Yan stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant.
"Please come in, please come in." Su Wan hurriedly ushered the two into the mansion, her face beaming with an undisguised smile. She could tell that her daughter's attitude towards this young man was unusual; there seemed to be a subtle glint in her eyes.
The mansion was Qing Ya furnished, with many exotic flowers and rare herbs planted inside. A faint fragrance of herbs filled the air, making one feel relaxed and refreshed. Upon entering the living room, a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe, with a refined face but rather sharp eyes, was sitting in the main seat, sipping tea. He was Ye Lingling's father, Ye Feng.
"Dad," Ye Lingling called out again.
Ye Feng put down his teacup, his gaze sharp as lightning, instantly landing on Lin Yan, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
That gaze was scrutinizing, and also carried a hint of the pressure of a powerful being. Lin Yan immediately felt an invisible pressure enveloping him, but he slightly circulated his Soul Power, stood up straight, and calmly met the gaze.
"Uncle Ye, I am Lin Yan. I apologize for the intrusion." Lin Yan bowed again and presented the prepared gift. "This is just a small token of my appreciation."
He handed the Soul-Calming Incense to Su Wan: "Auntie, this incense has the effect of calming the mind and nourishing the spirit. I hope it will be helpful to you." Su Wan took the jade box, and after sensing it for a moment, a look of surprise appeared on her face. "This... this is the best Soul-Calming Incense! Lin Yan, you are so thoughtful." This gift truly touched her heart.
Then, Lin Yan handed the jar of Lie Yan Liquor to Ye Feng: "Uncle, this is a jar of aged strong liquor. I don't know if you enjoy this kind of thing, but I feel that its strong and potent nature might suit your temperament." Ye Feng's gaze swept over the jar, his nostrils twitched slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but his expression remained serious. He simply nodded slightly. "Hmm, put it down."
Finally, Lin Yan said to Ye Lingling, " Lingling, I'll have a craftsman forge a close-fitting armor for you from that piece of Star Iron. Hopefully, it will provide you with extra protection."
Ye Lingling nodded gently. "Mm."
After seeing all this, Su Wan became more and more satisfied with Lin Yan. He was sensible, considerate, and clearly very attentive to his daughter. She quietly tugged at her husband's sleeve.
Ye Feng cleared his throat and gestured for Lin Yan to sit down. After a maid served fragrant tea, Ye Feng got straight to the point. " Lin Yan, Lingling briefly mentioned your situation before. Your talent and ability to become the captain of the Imperial Fighting Team in such a short time are beyond doubt. Our Ye Family has inherited the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul for generations. You should also know that Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master possess top-notch healing abilities, but they have almost no combat power themselves."
His tone became serious. "Therefore, our Ye Family has an unwritten rule: the primary condition for a spouse of the Nine Heart Begonia is to possess sufficient strength to protect her from harm and ensure her safety! This is not merely an emotional commitment, but a responsibility!"
Lin Yan sat up straight, his expression solemn. "Uncle, I understand. Protecting Lingling is my willing choice, and it is also a responsibility I must bear."
"Words are no proof." Ye Feng stood up, and a powerful surge of Soul Power naturally emanated from him. Seven Soul Ring rose in succession beneath his feet: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, and black! The powerful pressure of Soul Saint made the air in the living room seem to freeze.
"I am Ye Feng, a level 73 Power Attack System Battle Soul Saint, Martial Soul: Space-Rending Eagle. If you want to gain my approval, prove that you have the ability to protect Lingling, and withstand me for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn! Otherwise, it's all off the table!" Ye Feng's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, locking onto Lin Yan.
"Dad!" Ye Lingling couldn't help but exclaim, her face filled with worry. The gap between Soul Ancestor and Soul Saint was too great!
Lin Yan took a deep breath.
He stood up and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Ye Feng: "Junior Lin Yan, level 48 Control System Battle Soul Ancestor, Martial Soul: Illusory Rainbow Ice Blue Silver Grass. Please enlighten me, Uncle!"
Four Soul Ring, two yellow, one purple, and one black, swirled beneath Lin Yan's feet. He still didn't reveal all of his Soul Ring; the dark green of his Fourth Soul Ring was concealed as black. This way, he could showcase his potential without completely exposing himself.
Even so, the black, Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring still shocked Ye's parents!
A hint of appreciation flashed in Ye Feng's eyes, and he nodded silently.
"Alright! Let's go to the training ground in the backyard!"
The Ye Family's backyard was quite spacious, with hard bluestone slabs paving the ground and Soul Guidance Lamp illuminating the surroundings. Su Wan and Ye Lingling stood under the porch, watching the battle with bated breath. Ye Feng casually lit an incense stick and placed it in the incense burner next to him.
"Start!"
Before he finished speaking, Ye Feng's figure blurred, and he darted over like a hawk with astonishing speed. His First Soul Ring shone brightly, and sharp blue light emanated from the tips of his fingers—his First Soul Skill: Sky-Rending Claw!
He held nothing back, launching a swift and fierce attack right from the start, aiming to test Lin Yan's limits with absolute pressure.
Faced with the Soul Saint's attack, Lin Yan dared not be careless in the slightest. His Third Soul Ring lit up instantly— his Third Soul Skill: Blue Silver · Sword Leaf!
Countless soft Blue Silver Grass instantly became straight and sharp, their edges gleaming with a metallic cold light, like countless sharp swords. They did not directly attack Ye Feng, but quickly intertwined and layered, forming an impenetrable dark blue sword-leaf shield in front of him!
"Hiss hiss hiss!"
Ye Feng's Sky-Rending Claw slammed into the Sword Leaf Shield, producing a piercing scraping sound and sending sparks flying. The Sword Leaf was exceptionally tough, managing to barely withstand the first wave of attacks, but the powerful impact still forced Lin Yan back several steps, his Blood One surging.
"Defensive control? Interesting!" Ye Feng snorted coldly, his Second Soul Ring lit up, and the phantom of his wings flashed behind him. His speed increased again, and at the same time, his Third Soul Skill was activated— Eagle-Soaring Hurricane! A small but extremely concentrated cyan whirlwind shot towards Lin Yan like a drill, blocking his evasion route.